“To be or not to be” This is the beginning of perhaps the most famous monologue in literature. The words reflect the state of sadness and desperation of Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark. His father, the King, died. His mother the Queen, remarried after his father’s death. This disturbed Hamlet greatly, because she married the King’s brother, Hamlet’s uncle Claudius. Claudius is now King of Denmark. Hamlet feels much worse when from the ghost of his dead father he learns it was Claudius who killed his father. Within this difficult situation, Hamlet now thinks about what he must do next.
Now listen carefully:
The Queen is Hamlet's mother.
True
False
Claudius is Hamlet's brother.
False
True
Hamlet was the king of Denmark.
False
True
Hamlet's father is the king now.
True
False
Hamlet's father is dead.
False
True
The Queen married Hamlet's uncle.
True
False
Hamlet learns from his father's ghost that the murderer is Claudius.